Bengals news
The Bengals today terminated the contract of WR Laveranues Coles, releasing him to free agency. In 2009, Coles played his 10th NFL season and his first with the Bengals, catching 43 passes for 514 yards and five touchdowns.

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C. Trent has the news on the Reds today

Howard Wilkinson, of the Enquirer, has more news

And more from Mark Sheldon of MLB.COM

And last, but certainly not least, don't forget Hal McCoy

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Bengals: Recievers and free agency
Joe Reedy, Enquirer
When it comes to Bengals fans and providing a quick fix at receiver, the top name on everyone's list is Denver's Brandon Marshall. And while some on here have said that he is on the Bengals radar, he isn't.

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High school news
"Colerain High School and Christi Mack announce her resignation as girls Head
Basketball Coach. Christi wants to enjoy more time with her family."
Dan Bolden
Athletic Director
Colerain High School

PS Christi is the wife of XU coach Chris Mack

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Bengals news
The Bengals today announced that the team has extended tender offers to six players, making them restricted free agents (RFAs) as of tomorrow (Friday), when the NFL league year begins.
The six are LB Abdul Hodge, LB Rashad Jeanty, LB Brandon Johnson, CB David Jones, G Evan Mathis and DE Frostee Rucker. Their eligibility for RFA status is based upon their accrued years of experience toward free agency in a 2010 season with no salary cap.
By making the tenders, the Bengals gain the right to retain the players by matching any offer sheet any would sign from another team. If an RFA does not sign an offer from another team, he can remain with his original team by signing the one-year tender, or by negotiating a longer-term contract with his club.
Brandon Johnson was tendered at a dollar amount which stipulates that if the Bengals decline to match a competing offer, the team signing him must compensate Cincinnati with its second-round choice in the 2010 draft. The other five players were tendered at "draft status level," which means that if they entered the NFL through the draft, any team signing one of them must compensate the Bengals with a 2010 draft pick in the same round in which they were selected.
The deadline for a restricted free agent to sign an offer sheet from another team is April 15. Any RFA who has not signed an offer sheet by that date will have his 2010 NFL rights revert exclusively to his 2009 club.
The Bengals are not sending tender offers to three other potential RFAs who were with Cincinnati in 2009. The three are TE Daniel Coats, TE J.P. Foschi and DT Shaun Smith. Those players are scheduled to become free agents tomorrow, at which point they may negotiate with the Bengals or any other NFL team, without compensation or signing deadline issues.
Bengals tender five exclusive rights players
The Bengals today announced that the team has made tender offers to five players who are classified as third-year players for 2010. The five are C Kyle Cook, S Kyries Hebert, G Nate Livings, QB Jordan Palmer and OT Dennis Roland.
All five were with the Bengals in 2009. Their contracts have expired, and by making the tender offers, the Bengals retain their exclusive NFL rights for 2010.
The players each have the option of signing the tender offer or negotiating a longer-term contract with Cincinnati.
The Bengals are not sending a tender offer to third-year TE Matt Sherry, who spent last season on Cincinnati's Reserve/Injured list. Sherry will be eligible to negotiate with any NFL team as of tomorrow, when the NFL's veteran free agency signing period begins.

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Aaron Harang
I'm my opinion Aaron Harang's 2010 season will determine how far the Reds go. He's the wild card....the X-factor.
If he wins 12 to 16 games they are in the race all year. If he wins the 6 games he's won each of the last two years they are in trouble. Which Harang will it be?
The 2006-07 Harang was a combined 32-17....3.74
The 2008-09 Harang was 12-31....4.52
In 2006 he tied for the NL lead wtih 16 wins and led the NL in strikeouts and complete games.
In 2007 he finished 3rd in Cy Young voting.
In 2008 he tied for the NL lead in losses with 17.
In 2009 he suffered a nine game losing streak.....and was 1-10 4.78 in his final 16 starts.
What was the difference? What were the issues? Can they be fixed? As Aaron told me last night he seems to think they can be fixed...and are being fixed.
Bryan Price expressed confidence in Harang when he was on Sports Talk last week.
What's happened over the last four years? Bad luck, lack of run support, Dusty abuse
age, injury, none of those, all of those?
Look at the last four years:
2006: 16-11, 3.76 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 9.3 H/9, 8.3 K/9, .269 BA
2007: 16-6,...3.73 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 8.3 H/9, 8.5 K/9, .242 BA
2008: 6-17,..4.78 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 10.0 H/9, 7.5 K/9, .284 BA
2009: 6-14,. 4.21 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 10.3 H/9, 7.9 K/9, .287 BA
Dusty abuse
There has been a defining moment in his season each of the last two years.
1. Extra Innings in San Diego: It was May 25, 2008. Harang came out of the bullpen to throw 63 pitches in an 18-inning game. He did it on two days rest. He made his scheduled start three days later. He pitched three times in eight days. He would later spend time on the DL with a strained forearm.
His numbers prior to the San Diego game: 3.50 ERA, .258 batting average against
His numbers after the San Diego game: 5.66 ERA, .300 batting average against
2. Rain Delay: Harang sat through a two hour rain delay on May 25th vs Houston, needing one more out to qualify for the win. He returned from the delay to record the final out of the 5th inning.
His numbers prior to the rain delay game: 3.36 ERA, .272 batting average against
His numbers after the rain delay game: 4.78 ERA, .297 batting average against...1-10 record
Run support:
In 2008 the Reds averaged 3.52 runs in Harang's 29 starts. The Reds hit
In 2009 the Reds averaged 3.42 runs in Harangs 26 starts. The Reds scored 2 or fewer runs 12 times and were shut out twice. The Reds hit .239 in his starts.
Tough luck:
Harang was 6-14 with a 4.21. Compare the record of other NL pitchers with a higher ERA than Harang.
Jorge De La Rose: 16-9, 4.38
Johnny Cueto: 11-11, 4.41
Derek Lowe: 15-10, 4.67
Jamie Moyer: 12-10, 4.94
Ricky Nolasco: 13-9, 5.06
Braden Looper: 14-7, 5.22

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She will wrestle for a state title this weekend
Crestwood High School senior Paige Nemec will wrestle for a state championship this weekend in Columbus.
She wrestles in the 103-pound class. She's wrestled since she was five years old.
She's the first female wrestler in Ohio history to qualify for the state tournament.
She's the first female high school wrestler in Ohio to ever record 100 wins in a career.
Good for her. Sounds like a great story.
My question is why is she wrestling with the boys? I've debated this with Kelly for the last week.
1. No way my daughter, Peyton, is going to wrestle. Not happening.
2. It's a lose/lose for any boy that wrestles a girl. Win and you are supposed to win. Win handily and you face criticism for "beating up" on a girl. Lose and face the ridicule of your friends. Unfair psychological edge to the girl.
3. If a girl wants to wrestle, create a girl's wrestling team. Heck, Nemec got college wrestling scholarship offers to Oklahoma City University, Cumberland and a few others. If there aren't enough girls for a HS team form community club teams.
Are my views sexist? Sorry.
Would you want your daughter wrestling vs boys in high school?
Would you want your son wrestling vs a girl in high school?
Should girls compete vs boys in high school wrestling?

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Latest bracket
Jerry Palm, CollegeRPI.com
Seeds
1 Kentucky
2 Pudue
3 Ohio State
6 Xavier, Butler
10 Dayton, Louisville (Jerry has UD vs Clemson/Oliver Purnell in the 1st round)
Last four in: Mississippi, Notre Dame, San Diego St, Virginia Tech.
Close, but NIT (Not In Tournament): Connecticut, Charlotte, Illinois, Mississippi St.
By conference:
Big East: 8
A-10/SEC: 5
Big-10: 4

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Stuff.......

*Top 50 NFL players expected to be free agents

*If you are wondering...Xavier's RPI dropped from 13 to 19 after the Fordham win. Why? Fordham is #297 in the RPI.

*My breakfast tip of the day: Wheaties Fuel. I think I'm addicted to it.

*Wow...I heard Buster Olney on ESPN 1530 this morning point out that the Cubs played just 6 of their first 38 games vs teams that finished above .500 last season. They don't play in St Louis until mid August.

*In case you have missed it, the New Jersey Nets dropped to 6-53 after losing to the Cavs last night.

*Hey boxing fans, great article asking "Where have all the heavyweights gone?"

*When Eddie Veder played the Reds' clubhouse

*Gilyard likely to slide to 2nd round

*Pete Rose will guest host Monday Night Raw

*Todd Frazier getting special attention in camp

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Top 100 prospects
BaseballProspectus
10. Aroldis Chapman
59. Mike Leake
67. Todd Frazier

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Bears foolish if they dump Olsen

Bears Olsen not on trade block

Bears don't have pick for Marshall

Brandon Marshall anyone? Broncos place 1st round tender on their WR.

From Saturday: Marshall's future tied to tender, Denver Post

How about a 2nd rounder for Scheffler?

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(AP photo)
Xavier blasts Fordham, stays in A-10 hunt
Shannon Russell, Enquirer
If this pace continues, No. 25 Xavier and No. 20 Temple are headed for a permanent tie in the Atlantic 10 regular-season race.

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On this date: 1994
Michael Jordan comes to bat for the first time in a Chicago White Sox uniform. Playing in a spring training game, Jordan taps back to Texas Rangers pitcher Darren Oliver, who tags out the former National Basketball Association star. Jordan will eventually give up baseball after one season and return to the NBA. -Baseball-Reference

I was working for CLTV in Chicago at the time. I got to fly down to Sarasota and cover Jordan's first week of spring training. It was one of the wildest events I've ever covered. Day one I did 13 live shots to various TV stations around the country. Total media circus. Everyone was on Jordan Watch. I'll never forget one afternoon walking around to the back of my complex with my cameraman and Jordan walked out a side door to get to the field. We were the only ones around. I was stunned....almost peed my pants. I asked if I could talk to him. He said to follow him. I walked with him for about 200 yards. We talked the adjustments to playing baseball, how he planned to deal with life in the minor leagues, etc. Once we walked into the stadium Dick Vitale spotted us. He was immediately all over Jordan. Then he turned to me and said, "Hey, Mr. CLTV, I love CLTV (no way he had any idea), and asked if he could have my wireless microphone. He started interviewing other White Sox players.
It was hilarious. He signed off as Dick Vitale, reporting for CLTV.
Before flying down to Florida, Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks gave me a box of baseballs to get Michael to sign. Michael gave me one of those looks of, "Are you serious?". He did not sign them.

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Check out this new batting glove
NY Post
The latest high-tech protective product in a sport that's slow to accept innovation, the batting gloves are manufactured by the startup company XProTeX, which hired former All-Star Reggie Smith to go around spring training trying to persuade big leaguers to switch.

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IU-PU
Talk about two schools headed in opposite directions in the state of Indiana.
Purdue beat IU 74-55 in West Lafayette last night.
The Boilermakers (25-4/13-4) can clinch a share of the Big 10 title with a win at Penn St Saturday.
Purdue basketball leads the Big 10 with 21 conference titles. (I.U. 20).
They have won at least 25 games for three consecutive seasons.
The Hoosiers (9-20/3-14) have now dropped 11 straight games...tying a school record set a year ago.
IU now has lost 20 games in back to back seasons.

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Former Xavier coach to Fordham?
NY Post
Two of the primary coaching candidates are Hofstra coach Tom Pecora and Robert Morris coach Mike Rice. Others could include Paul Hewitt, Steve Lappas and Pete Gillen.

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UK pulls away from Dogs
Lexington Herald Leader
On Tuesday, Kentucky Coach John Calipari said he wanted his team to be the attacker, not the team being attacked.
On Wednesday, Kentucky eventually granted that request. The Cats attacked Georgia to begin the second half and coasted to an 80-68 victory.

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Former UK coach stands by his players
The East Texan
Between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Feb. 25, members of the football team stole editions of The East Texan, which were distributed throughout campus newspaper racks.
On Feb. 26, Crime Information Officer Lt. Jason Bone interviewed head coach of the football team Guy Morriss, who said he advocated his players’ actions.
"I'm proud of my players for doing that," he said. "This was the best team building exercise we have ever done."

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Moms Love Baseball Too
Mason Indoor Baseball and Dave Parker
Susan G Komen For The Cure event, "Moms Love Baseball Too!"
March 13th, 4:00 to 6:30
Great event for moms with kids that play baseball or softball.
Scorekeeping, rules, position play and drills, pitching, hitting, and food and prizes from our sponsors.
Portions of the proceeds to benefit a cure breast cancer.

Event for a cause
5th Annual APOP
Chili Cook Off
Sponsored by Forest Park Skyline
Sunday, March 14, 2010 3:00--7:00
Knights of Columbus Hall ---Cheviot
3621 Glenmore Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45211Who benefits: Adoptive Parents Outreach Program (APOP)
Why: To support the APOP mission of providing support to couples going through the adoption process and to help increase awareness of adoption throughout Cincinnati.
About the event: There will be many types of chili that you will be able to taste and will be judged by local celebrity judges.
David Fulcher, Former All Pro Bengal
Peter Wagner, Whiskey Ambassador for the State of Ohio
Doug Pelfrey, Former Bengal Kicker
Doug Ramsey, Elder High School Football Coach
There will also be a silent auction and split the pot raffles.
RSVP: Chas Eddingfield @ chaseddingfield@yahoo.com or
Cost (paid in advance): $10 / adult, children 10 and under free
Cost (paid at the door): $12 / adult, children 10 and under free

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Basketball clinic with a former Buckeye
Basketball Coaches' Clinic
Jay Burson (former Buckeye--OHSAA 2nd all-time career scorer)
Sunday, March 7
2pm - 3pm
Miami Valley Christian Academy -6830 School St - Newtown, OH
$25.00 - pay @ the door
More info Contact: mark.josefczyk@tdameritrade.com /

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An Evening with Butch Jones
Hosted by the La Salle Club
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Receptions Banquet and Conference Center
5975 Boymel Dr.
Fairfield, Ohio
5:30 p.m. Cocktails & VIP Reception
6:30 p.m. Dinner
Coach Jones Presentation following dinner
VIP Reception Ticket $85.00 per person/$150.00 per couple includes 1 football autographed by Coach Jones and 1 8 x 10 photo with the Coach. Also includes beer, wine, hors d'oeuvres and buffet dinner.
General Admission Ticket $45.00
Includes buffet dinner, beer and wine.
Limited to adults 21 and over.
Admission is by reservation only. Tickets can be purchased at La Salle High School from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or purchase tickets online.
Hosted by The La Salle Club
For further details call the ticket hotline at 513/741-2283 513/741-2283

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